


Different

by Miraphina Atherton (mew_tsubaki)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Eventual Romance, Family, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, M/M, Maydayverse, supporting roles from their parents & friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-07
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-12 18:42:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29888895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mew_tsubaki/pseuds/Miraphina%20Atherton
Summary: "He's fourteen and can't help himself, even if it feels a little different." -—on Nigel, Hogwarts, and what he thinks of his best friend's brother.
Relationships: Nigel Wolpert/Colin Creevey





	Different

**Author's Note:**

> The Harry Potter characters belong to J.K. Rowling, not to me. Read, review, and enjoy!

He's eleven and knows he's going to Hogwarts.

He's gotten his letter with the message in acid green ink, and his parents couldn't be more delighted. He's just excited to be going finally to that magical school, where he can learn and make friends and so on and so forth. His parents are excited that he'll be attending school during the great Harry Potter's stay. But Nigel's too young to understand really the importance of that. He'd just like to make one good friend.

So they hit Diagon Alley towards the end of August, and they buy him books and robes and quills and everything else. He gets a white–blond cat that he names Birdie, because his family is a funny one with contradictions and randomness, though his dad does remark that perhaps he would've been better off with an owl or a toad because usually witches get cats. Nigel just thinks that it's about time that wizards have them as their familiars, too.

Then he's off on the Hogwarts Express. It's a nice ride, though the compartment he's in gets a little crowded. There's a pair of brothers in there with him, along with a dark-haired girl and another boy and girl who try their best to stay quiet.

When they arrive in Hogsmeade, the older girl and the older brother leave for the carriages. The rest, along with Nigel, follow Hagrid to the boats, and it's perhaps the best thing ever.

Then the younger brother, who rides along with Nigel and those two from their compartment, manages to fall out of the boat. He's soaked but laughing after the Giant Squid rescues him from the Black Lake, and Nigel cracks a smile.

The lot of them heads up to the Entrance Hall, and the younger brother sticks to Nigel's side. "I'm Dennis, Dennis Creevey," he says.

"Nigel Wolpert," Nigel replies.

They exchange a look and a laugh, and Nigel has a good feeling. Maybe this is the friendship he's always wanted.

The Sorting happens, and the boy from their compartment, Luca Caruso, is sent to Gryffindor. Then Dennis squelches up to the stool and is, too, sent to Gryffindor, much to his brother, Colin's, joy. Name after name is called, and the girl they'd ridden with, Alice Tolipan, is sent to Hufflepuff. It's not long before Nigel goes to sit on that stool, and he can hear the hat's voice in his head.

"You're meek but loyal… Determined to do what's right, especially to help others…" The hat hems and haws in his ear. "Helga Hufflepuff would've loved you…"

And all Nigel can think is that he can't lose a new friendship by being placed into a different House from Dennis.

Then the hat shouts: "GRYFFINDOR!"

And Nigel never looks back.

The rest of the evening is interesting, for there's the Triwizard Tournament this year. Privately, Nigel wishes it could be a normal year just so that he could have a taste of true school life.

But at least Dennis is excited. "Oh, my Merlin! The whole school year's going to be different!"

Then Colin joins them after coming from another seat at the table. He laughs at his little brother's exuberance. "What, are you thinking of trying out for the tournament, Den?"

Dennis' smile widens and then he shoots his brother a red-faced look. "Hey! You heard what Professor Dumbledore said. It's only for of-age wizards and witches."

"I'm just teasing," Colin says, and he ruffles Dennis' hair.

Nigel wonders what that's like. He's never had a big brother or any siblings whatsoever. He sort of envies Dennis for that.

Colin looks around Dennis and gives Nigel a bright smile. "You were on the train with us," he recalls. "Nigel, right?" Colin shakes his hand and welcomes him to Gryffindor.

So maybe it's all right that it's not a normal school year…

Nigel is conflicted about that as weeks and months pass. The tournament is dangerous, and Harry Potter does certainly live up to the Creevey brothers' hype. But fun abounds, and he at least likes that, along with the entertainment, there won't be exams this year. Maybe he's caught a lucky break this year after all.

But the Yule Ball arrives, and Nigel begs one of the older lion girls to take him. She invites him but abandons him for her friend the moment they get there.

Nigel feels stupid for wanting to partake in the ball. Not even Dennis or Luca came, so he's stuck without his friends.

Colin appears, however, his camera flashing away. When it catches Nigel's frown, Colin lowers the device.

"Everything all right, Nigel?"

The boy shuffles on his feet and messes up his strawberry–blond hair. He doesn't care anymore that it took a good twenty minutes to get it to look nice. "No. I never should've come."

Colin looks at him with half a smile. "I was sort of thinking that of myself."

Nigel frowns. "How come you're here?"

"I snuck in," Colin whispers in his ear. Then he winks and adds, "But either McGonagall likes me enough not to bother throwing me out for being a third year, or she hasn't noticed yet."

"Hasn't noticed the only person in here with a camera? And a Muggle one at that?" Nigel's frown wavers, bordering on a grin.

Colin laughs. "Maybe everyone's just too used to me having it!" Then he holds out his hand. "Say, care for a dance?"

Nigel blushes Gryffindor maroon. "But—but—"

"There's nothing wrong with wanting to dance at a ball, is there?"

And he's so swept up in the liveliness that is Colin that he can't refuse. Nigel does think that they look ridiculous, him dancing and Colin twirling and the camera going off every time Colin faces him, but at least they have a good time. Besides, they don't stay all that long, and the walk back to Gryffindor Tower is almost as great as their dance in the Great Hall.

In the common room, Birdie appears and meows before winding through Nigel's legs. Colin snaps a picture of that, too. "Why call a cat 'Birdie,' though?" he asks Nigel.

Nigel almost tells him but shrugs mischievously instead. "Why bring a Muggle camera to a magical school?"

Colin laughs again, and Nigel decides it's a sound he quite likes. "Touché! Well, 'night, Nigel!" They go their separate ways.

Back in the first-year dorm, Dennis asks what it was like while Luca tries to listen with feigned disinterest. Nigel recounts everything, and Dennis beams at him.

"My brother's a great bloke, yeah?" Dennis is so proud of Colin. He really looks up to him.

Nigel agrees. As they fall asleep that night, his head is buzzing, thinking that maybe he lucked out with two strong friendships and another good one with Dennis, Colin, and Luca.

And things are great on a personal level for Nigel, even as the year takes a nosedive with the tournament and Harry Potter says that the Dark Lord's back and tension arrives and fear heightens and it's really just a bad time to be an "ickle firstie."

Colin's camera doesn't flash when Harry comes back with Cedric Diggory's body. In fact, he looks more scared than anyone else at the scene. "Colin?" Nigel prods.

Colin blinks but doesn't tear his eyes from Cedric's body until Nigel turns him away. "Uh, sorry, sorry…"

"Are you all right?"

Colin looks deathly pale, so Nigel rests his hand on his shoulder. "It's just… I almost knew what that was like."

"What was like?"

"Death." The word is heavy and dark, and Colin suddenly looks much older than ever before. Nigel's heard some of the fourth years and up remark about Colin's lightheartedness that's almost a fault, but Nigel wonders if anyone's actually bothered to check for the layers to the boy. He can't be happy-go-lucky all the time, can he?

Nigel can't comment on what Colin says, though, and, the next thing he knows, Colin and Dennis are among the first to head back to the castle. Luca asks what's wrong with them, but Nigel shrugs, because he doesn't know.

But he sort of wishes he did so that he could do something for Colin, at least.

So the year ends with a bang. Harry Potter is deemed crazy alongside Dumbledore, though Nigel doesn't believe it. One doesn't just say the Dark Lord's back without reason.

The trip home is silent and almost uncomfortable. Luca and Alice play Exploding Snap with Nigel for most of it, while Dennis remains absent, presumably off with his brother. Only when Nigel has seen Luca and Alice off does he finally see the Creevey brothers again before going home. Both of them approach him.

"See you next year, yeah?" Nigel asks Dennis.

Dennis nods, and his smile is the smallest Nigel's ever seen it. "Definitely, Nige."

Nigel looks at Colin, whose camera is absent. So he tries a joke. "Don't share those photos, yeah?" He tries his best to look embarrassed.

Like magic, the color returns to Colin's face, and he chuckles. "No, I wouldn't do that to you, mate."

"What photos?" Dennis asks, thoroughly confused.

Colin laughs for real this time, and Nigel grumbles, though he's really happy. He's got Colin laughing again.

With a promise to write—to both of them—Nigel at last finds his parents and heads home. What a year it has been.

* * *

He's twelve and waiting for the summer to end.

Nigel has gotten a few letters from his friends, and he's stayed over at Luca's place once. But he misses Hogwarts and living in the dorms with the others. He misses seeing Dennis and Colin every day, and he misses the click of Colin's camera.

Of course, his parents aren't all that happy about the business of the supposed return of the Dark Lord.

"I never expected Dumbledore to be nutters," his father says.

"Well, at least there are other teachers," his mother says.

The more his parents rail against Dumbledore and Harry, the more he believes Dumbledore and Harry, because his parents don't know them. And the school year can't come soon enough.

"How're you holding up?"

It's the first thing Nigel hears on the way to the castle for his second year. He'd expected to find maybe Dennis and Luca first, but Colin found him instead. "Oh, uh," Nigel fumbles, surprised as Colin joins him on the way to the carriages. "Fine, I s'pose."

Colin nods. "Same. Mum and Dad were a little scared, since they've been reading the _Prophet_ that Dennis and I get, but we assured them that we're safest at school."

"I told my parents the same thing."

The older boy nods again and fiddles with his camera. He cleans the lens, his fingers moving gingerly as if it could break at any moment.

Nigel leans over to see what he's doing. "You must go through a lot of film."

Colin snickers, and Nigel only knows why after the flash goes off. Now Colin's got a picture of the two of them. "You have no idea."

"Git," Nigel grumbles, but his heart isn't in it as he shoves Colin's arm. It's more a playful move than anything else, because Nigel could never get annoyed with Colin as the older students do.

Dennis, Luca, and Alice join them soon enough, as does Romilda, the dark-haired girl from the year before and Colin's friend. But at least this time they can all catch a carriage together, and Nigel lands between the brothers, his two favorite people.

The light mood lasts only so long, of course. The Ministry of Magic has arrived in the form of Dolores Jane Umbridge, and she sets everyone's teeth on edge. More than one person sees her as a toad, and Nigel's inclined to agree.

But she's much more than a toad when she begins to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts.

She's a "method teacher" and refuses for practical magic to be…well, practiced. She's a horrible woman. Even Dennis, who is usually so kind, says that toads don't want to associate with her. Even Luca, who is usually so tightlipped about his surroundings, pipes up almost daily about how much he hates going to her class. Even Alice, who is usually so oblivious to the bad things around her, frets about Umbridge's classes and actually complains.

The general atmosphere of the castle is unwelcoming towards Umbridge, but she pretends not to care. Meanwhile, the older students worry, and Hermione Granger can be heard in the common room griping about how none of the fifth years will be prepared for their O.W.L.s this way.

Not long after that, Colin and Romilda talk about something that's going around under the radar, something about a club.

"Hermione told me that Harry's got something to say," Colin tells her while Nigel pretends to study for Astronomy.

Romilda scoffs. "Whatever they're up to, I'm not really interested. That lot is never free of trouble."

Colin's shoulders sag, but he gives up. "All right," he says, and he switches topics.

Nigel waits until Colin's alone to approach him. "What did you mean, that Hermione and Harry are planning something?"

The older boy blinks, surprised he'd been overheard. "Ah, Nigel…"

"What are they up to?"

Colin, for once, looks unsure. "It's nothing. It's something for older students, Nigel. For their O.W.L.s. Like, a study session."

Nigel eyes him, and blue eyes meet brown. He rolls his eyes to break the connection. "You're not a fifth year."

"All right, all right," Colin says. "I'll tell you, just don't tell Dennis."

His heartbeat quickens. Something that Colin wouldn't share with his treasured little brother? Nigel's curiosity is through the roof. "What is it?"

"There's going to be a meeting. There are a lot of people who don't appreciate not being able to practice offensive magic."

Nigel's excitement grows. "Wow! That's amazing!"

Colin gives him a stern look—another first, and Nigel feels spoiled for all these firsts he's seeing of Colin. "Shh, Nige! Don't tell anyone, remember?"

"All right, I won't!" Nigel rolls his eyes again, but at least Colin's once more at ease.

So he takes another picture. Merlin knows where on Earth Colin managed to pluck his camera from, but he deserves some credit for managing to have it on him always.

"What was that for?" Nigel asks.

"Just enjoying the moment," Colin chuckles. Then he notices Nigel's homework. "Hey, anything I can help you with?"

The two spend the rest of the evening on homework, and Nigel begins to understand why Dennis gloats about Colin. Colin really is a great bloke and a great friend to have. Nigel will have no trouble keeping his promise to Colin at all.

Naturally, he tells Dennis and Luca.

Now, it isn't entirely his fault. Alice heard from a girl in her House, and Alice told Luca, who told Dennis, who told Nigel, who finally broke down and said he already knew. Dennis is a little hurt by this and the fact that Nigel had been planning on going to the general interest meeting by himself, but all is forgiven once the four second years swear to make it out to Hogsmeade somehow, even though it'll be another year before they can go there with permission.

"I'll see about how we can get there," Dennis tells them, and he comes back saying that Colin and Ginny and Dean and Seamus are all right with spiriting them out of the castle when no one's looking.

When the day does arrive, they go out one by one when McGonagall's not looking. Alice is first, then Luca. Dennis leaves ahead of Nigel, who is hidden by Colin. When they're out of reach, Colin and Nigel relax in the rest of the trek to the Wizarding village.

"Sorry about the camera," Colin apologizes as they enter Hogsmeade.

Nigel rubs his head where it hit the device since the camera lives around Colin's neck. "No, it's fine since you were kind enough to hide me beneath your cloak."

"Lucky you're smaller than me!" Colin laughs, but he doesn't do so in a mean way. That's why Nigel doesn't mind.

They reach the Hog's Head, and it turns out that a lot of people showed up. Nigel feels as though there's a spotlight on him and Dennis up front with Luca and Alice to the side, because they're the youngest there. But it's also nice to see students like Cho Chang of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team and the Weasley twins there, because it guarantees that this is no study group Harry's friends are forming. Otherwise it would be fifth years-only.

There's some talk about recent news in the Wizarding world, and a few people question the things Harry's done in the past. Dennis and Nigel are amazed to hear Harry, straight from his own mouth, confirm that he slew a basilisk in his second year. Nigel only gives pause when Colin tenses beside him, but Nigel bumps his arm to snap him out of whatever bad memory in which he's lost. Colin nods his thanks, and then the meeting continues with talk of Dark wizards and Patronuses.

The meeting ends with everyone signing a parchment labeled "Dumbledore's Army," and everyone gets a coin by which they can be contacted. As they split up, Dennis goes on ahead with Luca and Alice to get back to the castle before they're missed. But Nigel drags his feet, feeling the need to get a grip of the real world considering all that's happening.

"You should head back soon," Colin warns him, though he frowns.

Nigel hates it when Colin frowns. It just doesn't look right. "Yeah, I know, sorry." He moves to run and catch his other friends, but Colin's voice stops him.

"But maybe you could have a butterbeer first."

He turns with a wide grin on his face and his heart pounding in his chest. "Maybe I could."

Colin's smile slowly returns, and this time Nigel doesn't mind the bulb flash that was bound to follow.

The day is magical in the non-Wizarding way, and all the days after that are just as fantastical. The D.A., as they're calling themselves, meet in secret in a place called the Room of Requirement. Someone says that it's as though Hogwarts wants them to fight back, to fight the Ministry's reach in their academics, and Nigel wholeheartedly agrees.

It's great, learning all the magic they're missing out on in their actual D.A.D.A. classes. Although, Nigel's become the butt of many jokes since he's become Harry's favorite guinea pig during demonstrations. Not that Nigel minds, but he rather wishes that Dennis would volunteer a little more readily.

Colin admires him for getting Harry's attention like that.

"It took him a little while to warm up to me that quickly," Colin says as they practice Shield Charms.

"I'm not trying for his attention," Nigel rushes to blurt, and then his cheeks grow uncomfortably warm. A nagging voice in his head says that he'd rather have Colin's attention instead.

Colin observes him carefully, but then he looks a little miffed. Nigel wonders if it's due to him being unable to catch the moment since Colin promised Harry that he'd leave his camera in his bag during D.A. meetings.

Colin missing any moment he wishes to freeze bothers Nigel, so he finds him later that night and makes the same face. When he stupidly stands there for a full minute while Colin laughs, Nigel says, "Oh, just hurry up and take the picture!" And everything's right again.

But then the mass breakout from Azkaban occurs, and laughter is seldom heard in the Room of Requirement. They all suddenly work ten times harder than before, the tension building as they remember fallen loved ones and hope that what Harry's teaching them really could help in the worst case scenario.

Sadly, the D.A. doesn't last much longer, for one of their own betrays them. Nigel doesn't really know Marietta Edgecombe, but he comes to dislike her just as badly as everyone else in the D.A. does, since she ratted them out. They're punished, and everything looks grim as the school year draws to a close.

"Mum and Dad had a right fright," Colin informs him as he joins Nigel in front of the fire in the common room. It's the middle of the night, but Nigel can't sleep as soundly as Luca does, and he can't stay in the dorm so long as Dennis is crying about getting into trouble.

"I heard," Nigel says, stroking Birdie's fur. The cat's curled up in his lap, dead to the world as she sleeps.

"I feel sort of bad," Colin confesses. "I'm not one to get into trouble myself. And I don't drag Den into it, never."

Nigel sighs. "I already told you that Luca told him, not me."

"I know." The Creevey brother leans back on the couch, and Nigel peeks at him out of the corner of his eye. It's strange to see him without his camera, but Nigel supposes that even cameras need to rest sometimes. Colin catches him staring. "Something wrong?"

The strawberry–blond wizard tears his eyes away, glad for the warmth of the fire to blame for the flush in his cheeks. "No," he fibs.

Colin's eyes are soft in the firelight. "I'm sorry I got you in trouble."

"What? No, you didn't—"

"Yes, I did. I shouldn't've told you. Hell, we shouldn't've told anyone below us fourth years."

Nigel shoots him a look and points one of Birdie's paws at him. "Now, that's just mean. I would've found trouble all by myself, no help needed! After all," he adds, pointing the paw to himself before Birdie wakes to smack him with it, "I'm Harry Potter's official spell test dummy!"

Colin snorts, trying to suppress his laughter in the quiet of the night. He reaches for Birdie's paw, too, his fingers brushing Nigel's. He appears to think nothing of how quickly Nigel pulls his own hand away, for his focus is on the cat. "So, you'll never actually tell me why she's called 'Birdie,' will you?"

Nigel purses his lips, but it's hard not to talk to Colin. He's got a magnetism that always makes Nigel open his mouth. Dennis is like that, too, but it's different between the brothers. It's different with Colin. "Well…"

"Well?" Colin asks. His eyes are awake and alert, as if, when he next blinks, a picture will be photographed in his brain.

"It's just a family thing."

"Like a family name?"

"Not quite. See, my mother's maiden name is 'Wespurt' and my dad's surname is 'Wolpert,' so, since they were so close, it's always been a family joke that they were meant for each other. But we like jokes about opposites, too, since my mum looks like some former Eastern European model or something and my dad looks like an Irish or Scottish thug. Therefore, we've got a lot of opposites in the house. We've even got the dining room in the part of the house where most of our neighbors have, erm, motor…ways…?"

"You mean driveways," Colin supplies, his teasing smirk tiny but there.

"Yeah, those. And I got a cat even though usually witches get cats, and I named her 'Birdie' even though…"

"…cats usually eat birds," Colin finishes.

Nigel laughs. "Yeah. That's about it." He's glad. He's relaxed being with Colin, and he likes it that way. Judging by the easy grin on the older wizard's face, Colin likes it this way, too.

Colin yawns. "I'm not tired yet."

The younger boy yawns, as well. "Me neither." So they talk for a while longer until they fall asleep on the couch in front of the fire. Birdie wakes them the next morning, and she's a reminder at least to Nigel of that special moment he had last night with Colin. He wishes there could be more of them.

There's a possibility for more of them, following the end of the school year. Yes, Harry and his lot went to the Ministry of Magic, Merlin knows why, and confirmed the Dark Lord's return, but, in the ever-growing presence of danger, Nigel feels more and more relaxed. He wonders if maybe it's due to him having found his own little family at Hogwarts. Things can only get better from here on out, even if there are more Dark wizards and witches than usual.

"See you lot!" Nigel tells Luca and Alice as they go to find their parents together. It momentarily hits him that, hey, they _are_ wizards and Alice _is_ a witch and maybe someday there'll be something between those two. But the moment passes when the Creeveys find him on the platform.

Dennis hugs him. "Don't be a stranger, Nige!"

"Of course not!" Nigel agrees.

Colin drapes a lazy arm over his shoulders and doesn't move it. "In fact, be a neighbor," he says.

Nigel looks between the two of them. "What do you mean?"

"You should come stay with us at some point," Colin says. "I'm sure Mum and Dad would love to meet Dennis' best mate."

Nigel's heart aches a little at that title. Is that all Colin sees him as, his brother's little friend? Nigel thought they were friends, too. Still, any chance to hang out with the brothers more delights him regardless. "Yeah, I'll ask my parents," he says.

"Fantastic!" Dennis nearly squeals.

As expected, Colin captures the moment with his camera, and then the brothers are off to meet up with their parents in Muggle London.

When Nigel sees his parents, he tells them about the invitation, and they're perfectly fine with it. His parents don't know about the boys' involvement with the D.A., because they were upset with Nigel enough over it already, and Nigel doesn't want his parents to hold anything against Colin and Dennis.

And, while Nigel's parents chatter about the most recent turn of events, because what's more important than Dumbledore and Harry being sane after all, Nigel's mind is preoccupied. All he does is wait for the days to tick away until he can hang out with his best friend and—well, his best friend's brother? Well, Colin's one of his closest mates, too.

But, if that's the truth, then why can't Nigel stop thinking about Colin's arm around his shoulders?

* * *

He's thirteen and thinks he's got a crush.

After his birthday, he goes to stay for two weeks with the Creeveys. They aren't rich, but Nigel doesn't mind, and he loves staying at their house anyway.

Everything is so delightfully _Muggle_ about their home, and, if it weren't for the things Nigel sees on Dennis' shelf in his bedroom, he would almost believe that two wizards don't live here.

Mrs. Creevey is a little skittish but very kind. She's slightly round and blames it all on the whole milk she used to drink when she first flirted with Colin and Dennis' dad, who's a milkman. Mr. Creevey is warm and practical, and he's easygoing until one mentions his sons being wizards, which gets him and his wife going on for hours about how proud they are of their boys. They amuse Nigel, and he wants to see them and his parents interact someday, if only to entertain him and Colin and Dennis.

Nigel spends his days walking to the pond near the Creevey home. Dennis teaches him how to skip stones, and Nigel shows him an old trick his dad taught him, a little charm to walk on water. They are careful not to practice their magic with Muggles around, the law against underage magic be damned in these cautious times. They take a bit of a thrill in doing magic and waiting for a Ministry letter to come to them and tell them that they broke the law, but it never happens. They feel invincible, and that's the D.A.'s fault.

Sometimes Colin joins them, and Nigel feels like the luckiest bloke alive, to be sharing time with his best friend and—er, Colin. Colin's not as good at skipping stones as Dennis is. Actually, he's not very fond of water to begin with. Dennis teases him that that's because Colin's too used to having his camera glued to him.

Nigel laughs as Colin sticks his tongue out at his brother, and the three of them get along so well, too well.

They spend their evenings watching the sun set and the stars come out. They head home together every night, and Mrs. Creevey cooks everything under the sun. She's especially good with milk-based dishes.

At night, Nigel and Dennis stay up chattering about random things until one of them is too tired to talk anymore. That person is almost always Dennis, so Nigel often stares up at the ceiling, counting hippogriffs to try and fall asleep. When he can't, he gets up, hits the bathroom, and then tries again. When that doesn't work, he goes into the living room and sits on the couch, looking out the window at the stars. He loves it here so much that he almost wishes he'd never have to go home.

A squeaky floorboard alerts him that someone else is up, too. But Nigel knows it can't be Dennis, because Dennis is a heavy sleeper. It can only be Colin. "Hey," Colin says. Even late at night, there's always a hint of excitement in his voice, and Nigel loves that.

"Hey," Nigel says, not tearing his eyes from the night sky as the couch sinks beside him. Colin has joined him.

"Homesick?" Colin's voice is hushed because the house is small and sounds can carry—not that anyone minds Dennis and Nigel whispering and snorting with quiet laughter into the early morning.

"No," he replies truthfully.

There's a pause. "Miss Birdie?"

Nigel's shoulders shake with silent laughter. "Maybe." He glances at Colin, and his breath hitches. In the moonlight, Colin's dark, dirty blond hair looks brown, a few shades lighter than his eyes. Nigel forces his attention back to the stars. "Why're you up?"

"Because," Colin states, as if that's an answer.

"That's no answer," Nigel says, withdrawing his folded arms from the back of the couch and sitting to face Colin.

Colin doesn't blink for several beats. Then he mutters, "I was thinking that I needed to get more film tomorrow."

Go figure. The response is so Colin that it's hard for Nigel not to smirk. He chuckles and says, "Well, if you hadn't used all of the latest roll today taking pictures of Dennis and me running on the pond, then you'd probably be fine."

"No, I wouldn't," Colin retorts. His voice is a little harder, a little more serious than usual.

Nigel's face falls, because he feels that he's done something wrong. "Sorry," he mumbles, at a loss for what to say.

Colin looks out the window, but Nigel can't look again. He feels bad when Colin's not his overexcited, energetic self. He loves Colin's smile and hates his frown and hates it the most when he's made Colin frown.

And it hits him that he now knows what Colin is to him.

Blinking in disbelief, Nigel sits back and grips the edge of the cushion. Then Colin turns to him. "Say, maybe I should come visit your house sometime soon."

Nigel mechanically nods. "Yeah. I think my parents would like you two."

"No, not both my brother and me," Colin corrects him. "Just me."

The younger boy turns his head, confused, not letting his hopes get up. "What do you mean?"

Colin locks eyes with him again, and Nigel blames the moonlight. It must be full moon madness, even though the Moon isn't anywhere near that phase yet. Colin isn't smiling, but he leans towards Nigel, looking ready to explore something new to him. When his face gets very close and they're both still looking at each other, Colin's cheeks flush, and he gives Nigel a little glare. "Well, don't just gawk at me. Shouldn't you close your eyes or something?"

Nigel dumbly nods and closes his eyes tightly, knowing and yet not knowing what's about to occur.

The feeling is very light at first, like a feather being drawn across his lips. Then the pressure increases, as if he's pressing his face into Birdie's soft fur. Then, at last, he feels the weight of another person behind that gentle touch, and it finally registers that it is someone's lips against his. And it is not just anyone; it is Colin.

The kiss is tame and lasts for twenty-two seconds. Then Nigel opens one eye as Colin leans back. Colin doesn't look satisfied, but he doesn't appear regretful either. "There," Colin says just for the sake of having sound again.

Nigel can't do anything but stare at him because it feels as though the world's loud all around him. Then he hops up from the couch, careful not to touch Colin for fear he might melt into something resembling the Weasley twins' portable swamp. "Goodnight," he squeaks before he dashes off to the safety of Dennis' room.

But it's anything but a good night, because if he couldn't sleep before, then he sure as hell can't sleep now.

The next day feels stiff at breakfast, with Colin being unusually quiet. His family doesn't seem to notice as they write it off because Colin fiddles with his camera all day long so often that it seizes his attention to the point of silence, but Nigel knows he shouldn't have left things as he had last night.

When he and Dennis return this time from the nearby playground where they childishly swung on the swing set all day long, Nigel takes a breather out on the stoop by the front door. His eyes ache because the color of everything looks so much brighter today.

Colin wants to go out to capture some sunset pictures, and he almost steps on Nigel on his way out. "Cripes, Nigel!" he yelps. He pulls the door shut behind him.

Nigel can only say one word to Colin: "Sorry."

"It's fine. Just don't sit there again—"

"No, I'm sorry," the smaller boy says.

The sincerity in his voice makes Colin pause and join him on the stoop. "It's fine," he repeats. "I just… Should I have done that, last night?" He winces.

Nigel picks at the laces on his trainers. Piecing it together, how relaxed he feels with Colin and how he delights in spending time with Colin and how he loves sneaking moments with and firsts of Colin…Nigel is sure he's known since the end of the school year. "Yeah," he splutters. "You, um, you should've."

Colin's eyes widen, but he says nothing more. Instead, he heads for the woods by the pond, and Nigel follows him without a word. Colin takes lots of sunset pictures, but there are a lot more of Nigel now, and Nigel wonders if he'll ever get the chance to see them.

Nigel wonders a lot over the next several days, but he doesn't worry about a single thing. During the remaining days, his friendships are strong. During the remaining nights, Colin's kisses are timid and sweet.

Thanks to Nigel, Colin goes through another three rolls of film, but many of the pictures won't see the light of day, because they doubt that anyone wants to see photos of two boys snogging.

After Nigel's stay ends, his and Colin's correspondence picks up more than it had before. Colin can't manage to visit Nigel without bringing Dennis along, so there's little hope for anymore secret kisses for now. But they don't talk about it. It's almost as though the kisses are a summer treat that will fade as the seasons change. Nigel doesn't mind terribly, though, because at least he's had some of the treat.

Colin's fifth year and Nigel and Dennis' third start at last, and, while the world becomes an even more frightening place, Hogwarts feels more like a serialized melodrama. The D.A. isn't doing anything, and teenagers are being teenagers at last.

Romilda apparently has a thing for Harry, whom everyone has learned is the "Chosen One" of some sort. Ginny is dating about a dozen boys at once, Harry has admirers from both teams, and even Hermione has grown in popularity. And everyone knows about how Ron has become something like one entity with Lavender.

Dennis is the one who announces to Nigel that Luca did at last ask Alice out, not that they are very surprised. Luca, red-faced, tells them that they'll be interested in witches soon enough, but Dennis shrugs and says that he prefers art and music instead. Nigel mutters something similar, though his mind is full of a particular wizard.

"It's as though the world's turned upside–down," Nigel says to Dennis and Colin as they study together in the library one evening. "You can't escape it!"

Pince comes and shushes them, and Colin chuckles once she disappears. "You want to escape it, Nigel? It's just a piece of our own history. Our personal histories."

"I agree with Nige," Dennis pipes up. "I'm sick of seeing Luca and Alice snogging whenever I round the staircase to head up a floor."

"Oh, go get a girlfriend, Den," Colin remarks, just this side of annoyed from hearing Dennis' speech yet again.

" _You_ get a girlfriend," the younger Creevey chides. "Aren't you sort of bummed that Romilda seems to have eyes only for Harry? I mean, he's a nice bloke and a great wizard, but still… I always thought…"

Colin smiles. "She's my best mate, not my girlfriend, Dennis, and I don't want her to be."

Dennis deflates, and Nigel can almost see the dream of Romilda being Dennis' sister-in-law pop above Dennis' head. "Oh. Okay."

"I've got a free period after lunch," Colin says, as they're spending their lunchtime right now to study and finish some homework that should've already been done. "So I'll see you at dinner, Dennis." He nods to Nigel. "Nigel."

"Yep, see you," Dennis says, not looking up from his work. It's a good thing he doesn't, because then he misses the conspiratorial wink Colin gives Nigel.

Five minutes later, Nigel packs up his things. "I, uh, have to hit the loo before Potions."

Dennis frowns. "Agh, you finished your essay? Darn it! All right, I'll meet up with you shortly, then."

With that, Nigel flies freely from the library…until an arm catches him around the corner, and suddenly he is pressed against Colin's chest in the angled shadows. They breathe, their breaths mixing as they stare at each other, because they've not really done anything more than sit together too closely in the common room or at meals while here at school.

"You know I don't want her as my girlfriend," Colin reminds Nigel.

"I know you don't want a girlfriend," Nigel confirms, and then they're kissing again. It's a little more demanding and urgent and hot than all the times before, and Nigel is rather thankful that Colin doesn't snap the moment. Not only could the light give them away, but it would ruin the moment, and he prefers for their mouths to burn the memory into their minds instead of a picture.

They can't snog all the time, but they do grow closer as the year moves forward. Sometimes it's just enough to work silently together, and Nigel wonders how he could be so lucky. He has the best friends and the best boyfriend and the best Housemates and just—oh, he can't be thankful enough!

Around the Easter holidays, when they come back from the short break, Nigel spends one night as he has many times before, just sitting by the fire with Colin, their hands locked and Birdie asleep in Nigel's lap. Sometimes Colin brings his camera down, but he often just keeps the night for them, no magic allowed except for what exists between them.

Suddenly, Colin says, "I've a present for you."

Nigel's surprised. They've never gotten presents for each other before, and now Nigel wishes he had something to give to Colin. He quietly waits for Colin to pull something slightly crumpled from the pocket of his pajama bottoms and to pass it to him.

There are two pictures. The first is of one of their earliest nighttime kisses, from when Nigel stayed at the Creeveys' last summer. The second is of that moment on the platform. Nigel had thought that Colin had taken a picture of the three of them, him, Colin, and Dennis, but the picture actually is just of Nigel with Colin, that arm wrapped around his shoulders as it is now.

The sentiment is touching, especially because Colin is such an artist in that he rarely parts with his pictures. "Thank you," Nigel states. "I… I love them."

"Good," Colin breathes, and he pecks Nigel's temple, content with that reaction.

Birdie stretches in Nigel's lap then and lazily reaches out a paw that lands on Colin's knee. She flexes her claws a few times before getting up and moving into Colin's lap entirely. The two wizards watch in awe, because the cat is so bloody selective, and they have to fight down a guffaw as Birdie curls up again.

"I think I have her approval," Colin chuckles.

"That you do," Nigel says, and he rests his head on Colin's shoulder.

If bliss lasts any longer, Nigel feels that he might explode sometimes from the sheer exhilaration it gives him. Now he understands why the Creeveys are always fully of energy. Now he understands why Colin's always excited. He _makes_ life exciting, and he certainly makes Nigel's life exciting.

But, while some things get better, other things get worse, and it's with a figurative smack in the face that Nigel and Colin and everyone else have to face reality when Dumbledore is killed and Death Eaters storm the castle. Some of the D.A. members are able to help push the Death Eaters out, but Nigel and Colin feel a little guilty, for they'd been absorbed in each other, enchanted Galleons resting in their rooms when the call for help had come.

Everyone is numb as the year ends just a little early and the funeral for their beloved headmaster is held. At the service, Nigel stands between Dennis and Colin, his parents behind him because he can't bear not to stand with the brothers. Colin takes his hand and squeezes it, and they don't care at this point if anyone sees, because they are all hurting. The fight has come to them, and they can no longer ignore reality, even if they can't handle it yet.

Afterwards, before Nigel leaves with his parents, he pulls the brothers to the side. "Stay safe, you two," he says, looking between them equally. As much as he loves Colin like a lover, he loves Dennis like a brother just as much. He can't stand the thought of losing either of them.

Colin nods and wraps a protective arm around Dennis. "We can protect each other." But his face falls. "You stay safe, too." There's an endearment on the tip of his tongue that he doesn't say but that Nigel can hear anyway, and it's a small comfort.

"Write us every day," Dennis makes him promise, and he and Nigel make a pinky-promise to do just that. Then Nigel pulls away from them and actually gets involved in his parents' conversation about being safe during these Dark times and what charms and things they can use to protect their family. And Nigel thinks that his other family will need protection, too.

* * *

He's fourteen and can't help himself, even if it feels a little different.

Nigel Finneas Wolpert has a gut feeling that things are only going to get worse. Naturally, he tries to squeeze good out of every last peaceful minute he has, and most of those minutes are spent at the Creeveys', with Colin.

At first he was just going to stay for a week, but the end of that week found him in a compromising scenario in Colin's bedroom—not that much of anything was going to happen—and Dennis found out. He's hurt that they didn't tell him sooner, and he's honest with them and says that he _is_ a little grossed out.

"I mean, how does that even _work_ …?" Dennis thinks aloud.

Nigel and Colin exchange a look and then burst out laughing. Hand it to Dennis to think such a thing, because he's so bloody innocent sometimes.

Colin answers him. "Well, it's quite easy. I just kiss him the way Dad kisses Mum."

Dennis makes a gagging noise while Nigel turns beet red. "Hey! That likens me to a woman! I'm no woman!"

"Whatever you say, Nige," Colin says cheerily, his nose at Nigel's ear.

Dennis shudders. "Please keep all of _that_ to a minimum, you two," he begs, and they do, because it's all right for Dennis to know, but they're not ready for anyone else to know just yet.

After the week goes, Nigel takes to seeing them every weekend. Sometimes he gets extra time with Colin when the older boy comes to visit him. Now that Dennis knows, they don't look so suspicious with just the two of them seeing each other, and Nigel's parents are charmed by the older Creevey boy. They get a kick out of his affection for his camera.

"Do you just take photos of anything?" Nigel's mother asks over dinner one late summer night.

Colin beams. "Almost. But my favorite subjects are people."

"That's a good thing," Nigel's father compliments. "That way they're with you forever."

Nigel doesn't miss the secret smile Colin sends him from across the table. "That's true, Mr. Wolpert. I definitely agree." And Nigel can read it in Colin's eyes, that he is Colin's favorite subject.

There are sleepovers at both houses but never much done. Both of them know that they are young, and Nigel doesn't want to do something that either of them might regret.

But he's fine with the nighttime snogging. And he loves it when Colin holds him close and he can slip his hands under Colin's shirt just to feel his skin. It's the contact, the human contact that makes him feel safe and sound. And, when they're together like that, Nigel feels as though those are the moments when they really are frozen in time, no camera needed.

And then…

Then the news starts circulating about changes in Ministry leadership and a horrible thing: the Muggle-born Registration Commission.

Suddenly Colin and Dennis are in more danger than any of them could've ever imagined, and Nigel worries to the point that he fears his heart will explode.

The summer is ending too fast and is closing in a terrible way, and Nigel has that gut feeling again, but it's evolved. A part of him knows that all of this won't be the same come next summer. Some pieces, some people will be missing, and it's all he can do not to ruin his last night with Colin by doing nothing but crying into Colin's shirt until it's soaked.

So timidity goes out the window, and the boys leave their reservations and inhibitions behind.

The next morning, Nigel wakes up in Colin's arms. He feels warm and safe, but then Colin wakes up, too, and they sit up and separate and get dressed, because Colin has to go home.

The Wolperts pay a visit when returning Colin home, because Nigel's parents would like to offer their help and set up protective enchantments around the Creevey residence. Nigel hugs Dennis tightly, the two of them crying, and then Nigel looks at Colin. It's one of those to-hell-with-it moments, so they kiss fiercely, Dennis giving them a wet smile as their four parents look on, agape though not ashamed.

Then the Creeveys retreat into their home and go into hiding, and the residence seems to disappear from view, even though it most certainly still exists.

Nigel wishes it weren't mandatory, him having to go to Hogwarts because he's at least a half-blood with half-blood parents. He wishes that he could extend this summer into forever. He wishes that he could have one large dinner with both his family and the Creeveys and listen to Colin try to explain how he and Nigel happened while Dennis sits there with a teasing smile and doesn't come to their aid as payback for them not having told him sooner.

"That was, ah…" Mr. Wolpert can't quite find the words for it.

"Different, I know," Nigel mumbles.

There's an odd pause before they Floo to Diagon Alley for the materials he needs. "Well, I, for one, think it's cute," Mrs. Wolpert says stubbornly. "Though I'm surprised it was Colin and not Dennis," she adds on in a small voice.

Nigel stares at her, and Mr. Wolpert stares at her, and then the three of them are laughing and sobbing because everything was so sudden and now things have to change and they have to pretend as though they didn't just help two Muggle-born wizards—Nigel's best friend and his love.

Those two are on their minds as they shop and as they split up on Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. Nigel thinks about them throughout the whole ride and doesn't stop thinking about them for a moment. He catches up Luca and Alice on what has transpired, not even leaving out that Colin's his boyfriend. And, when he steals the chance, he tracks down Romilda to let her know that her best friend is safe, and she nods, since apparently Colin hasn't written her in a little while. It makes Nigel feel guilty and special at the same time, because Colin wanted to spend every waking _and_ sleeping minute with him.

But things in his personal life aren't the only different things. Now Snape's the headmaster and stands where a great man once stood. Now there are Death Eaters patrolling the castle corridors. Now there are Dementors blanketing the grounds and surrounding areas.

For the first time in his life, Nigel is scared, because not even Harry, Hermione, or Ron is at school. No, Harry is "Undesirable Number One," and his friends are fugitives with him. Others are missing, too, like Dean, who is a half-blood but can't prove he's not Muggle-born since his dad isn't around to prove otherwise.

Those who _are_ at school are separated into three categories: Dark Lord supporters, who mainly consist of Slytherins; those without allegiance, who tend to be students in any of the Houses; and Harry Potter supporters, which include D.A. members old and new and any defected students who don't want to put up with the likes of the new staff, especially Alecto and Amycus Carrow.

Neville leads the reconstituted D.A. and stops going to classes early on in the year. So do Ginny and Seamus and Parvati and Luna and Hannah and many others. As the weeks turn into months, the Room of Requirement expands to accommodate dozens of students. Sometime around the beginning of April, Nigel joins them.

It almost feels like old times, except he's missing the two people who are most important in his life.

Still, being in the Room of Requirement allows Nigel and the others to get food from Aberforth at the Hog's Head. They get messages and send them sometimes, too.

Nigel at one point chances a message to each Creevey brother. He tells them both what's going on, but his letter to Dennis talks of Luca and Alice, as well, and his letter to Colin tells of his safety and Romilda's and of things only meant for Colin's imagination. He tells them both that he hopes that he will see them again and that he doesn't expect a response.

Dennis, ever the good child, doesn't respond. But Colin sends a short missive back, saying that they're listening to Potterwatch to keep up on the news and that, of course, he loves Nigel.

It hits Nigel on that night when he gets Colin's small letter and reads it while some of the Ravenclaw students fret about how they'll probably never be able to take exams so long as they're in exile. It hits him that Colin's right in what he writes. He loves Nigel.

And Nigel loves Colin.

Silently, he promises himself to say those words to Colin when he next sees him.

Given time, he gets that chance when May arrives and Harry Potter returns to them and the word gets out to the Order of the Phoenix and to other D.A. members that they're attacking tonight.

As the battles begin, McGonagall tells the students that only of-age students should fight.

"It's a good thing that I learned to like opposite things then," a voice says with a smile in its tone beside Nigel's ear.

Nigel turns in the Room of Requirement and throws his arms around Colin. "Why did you come?"

"I'm here to fight, of course!" Colin chirps. Behind him stands a worried-looking Dennis, whom Nigel also embraces tightly.

"We're all underage! You'll be seventeen only at the end of the month!" Nigel yelps.

"I've been reminding him of that the whole night," Dennis says. "I'm just here to look out for him and the younger students."

"Besides, we wouldn't be D.A. members if we didn't fight!" Colin says it with a wink to Nigel, and Nigel whimpers, frightened for them all. Colin chases away his fears, though, with a quick kiss.

"Can we please just fight already or something?" Dennis asks, covering his eyes.

Nigel nods and decides he'll help Dennis protect the younger students. "Don't be stupid," he tells Colin. "Don't be foolish, either."

"That's why I left the camera at home, Nige," Colin remarks.

Nigel catches his arm one last time, the awful feeling in his gut now lodged in his throat. He stares up at Colin, which he notices isn't by that much. Huh. He's grown and is almost Colin's height now. "I love you, Colin." The words come out as naturally as him blinking.

"I love you, Nigel," Colin whispers softly. He kisses Nigel's forehead and then vanishes into the throng of chaos. He doesn't look back.

Shaking his ominous feeling off, Nigel and Dennis run to Gryffindor Tower and go to Ravenclaw Tower and go to Hufflepuff territory near the kitchens, making sure that no young students are left behind to face torture and death.

They catch Luca and Alice actively fighting some large Dark witch, and their friends are not having much luck. Nigel and Dennis join them, and together the four of them Blast her off her feet. With a cheer, the quartet actually laughs in the face of death, and Dennis pushes Luca to kiss Alice. He doesn't, but Alice does kiss him, and Nigel begins to feel a little bit better as the night turns into day.

Hours pass, and they are on a mission to protect. Anyone they see, they protect. Anyone that's hurt, they hide. Anyone who needs help, they fight alongside. Dennis never grouses once about how he and Nigel originally didn't want to fight, because there's an understanding. Whether they wanted to fight or not, the Death Eaters were going to kill as they pleased, and there was no reason not to go down without a fight.

But thank Merlin that he, Dennis, Luca, and Alice don't go down at all. No, they are present to witness Harry's defeat of the Dark Lord.

There's not exactly a cheer, but the tension lifts as reality hits them that things would be better now. Things would be different, but in a good way.

"We should go find Colin," Dennis says, and, once he and Nigel are sure that Luca and Alice are safe in the remnants of the Great Hall, they head outside.

But they stop short in their tracks.

Neville and Oliver Wood walk past Harry. Between the two of them, they carry a single body, small in comparison to them. It is small with dirty blond hair and—

A scream catches in Nigel's throat. Dennis is the one who cries out.

Dennis rushes to them, and they put Colin's body down beside the others. The remaining Creevey brother crumbles at his dead brother's side, and Nigel numbly walks towards him.

How can this be?

Hadn't he just told Colin that he loved him?

Wasn't that an implied promise?

Hadn't they actually promised to stay safe and come back and share a kiss of victory when they'd said "I love you"?

What was Nigel supposed to do now?

Romilda finds them and breaks, as well, upon seeing Colin's body. She and Dennis wail, but Nigel can't even think straight.

Yes, things would be different from now on, all right.

* * *

He's fifteen and hates the world.

Not long after the war, the Creeveys buried Colin near Hogwarts with some others who'd fallen. It made sense, since Colin loved Hogwarts so much.

Dennis refused to bury his brother's camera with him. "He wouldn't have wanted that," Dennis had reasoned. "He would've wanted it to be loved and used." So he takes up photography in honor of his brother.

Nigel doesn't have much of anything left of Colin. A large part of Colin still resides within him, and Nigel regrets nothing of their time together, but the two pictures Colin gave him once upon a time aren't enough.

Birdie senses Nigel's loss and often mews at him pitifully. She likes to fall asleep on top of the photos when Nigel's looking at them, but he can never be bothered to move her, so he falls asleep, too, at those times.

It's after his birthday when Dennis comes over. He's got Colin's camera around his neck, but he still hasn't used it yet. Though he's taking pictures, he hasn't used that camera yet. Nigel asks him why.

"Because," Dennis answers, digging something out of his pocket, "I wanted to give these to you first."

Nigel takes the parcel and opens it. He's not careful, so photos go all over the place. And there are many photos, from nearly four years, spanning a friendship and a love that ended too early.

There's the picture of Nigel's confused look that Colin loved so much.

There's the picture of Nigel rolling his eyes.

There's the picture of Nigel's disgruntled face that Colin thought was cute.

There's the picture of their second ever kiss in the moonlight.

There are the pictures from that sunset day.

There's the picture of Nigel holding Colin gently after Colin had at last told him why he feared death and had almost met it in his own second year, Petrified by a basilisk, the very one Harry had killed.

There are the pictures from two years ago, taken in different places around the school.

There are pictures from their last summer together, including some that make Nigel blush the tiniest bit.

There are pictures of him, of Dennis, of Colin—though few, since he was so often behind the lens—and of Romilda and Luca and Alice and their other friends and classmates and of the three of them, Nigel sandwiched between the brothers, and of the two of them, Nigel and Colin, looking as though their love just happened to…well, _happen_.

There are pictures telling him that it all happened, that Colin caught their personal histories and caught them well and framed them in time. He framed them so that none of it would be forgotten.

Nigel looks up at Dennis. "I don't even—"

Dennis smiles sadly. "I don't need thanks, Nigel. You and I loved him the most. That's understandably thanks enough."

Nigel nods and hugs his best mate as if Dennis might vanish, too, but that's not true. Dennis stays for dinner and then goes home, but Nigel sees him again and again over the years, because their friendship can't be destroyed or forgotten. Colin's pictures are proof of that.

But the thing Nigel is most thankful for is that day when Dennis gave him Colin's photos, all of them. Looking through four years of good times, Nigel feels his heart beat again, and he thinks at last that maybe he'll be all right. So he does what he couldn't do before, on May 2nd, 1998:

He cries. He cries at last for Colin.

**Author's Note:**

> UGH. ANGST. *dies* Sooo much happened…and I totally ship Nigolin now. o.o But man… I don't have much to say. Luca Caruso and Alice Tolipan aren't OCs, but two VERY minor characters who did join the D.A.; it's just my headcanon that he's in Gryffindor with Dennis and Nigel and she's in Hufflepuff (actually, with Rose Zeller even, I think). And LucaAlice… (Read "[the girl with the pink ribbon](https://archiveofourown.org/works/29889531)" for another taste of them.) Merlin… Colin… *creys* Just a few last ramblings…not sure if I toyed too much with the restriction for underage magic…and there was some implied underage "naughtiness" *le gasp*. And Nigel's explanation about his parents is my explanation for why fans once knew Nigel as "Nigel Wespurt" before he was "Nigel Wolpert." I still wonder why his surname was changed… O.o Anywho.
> 
> Thanks for reading, and please review!
> 
> -mew-tsubaki :'S
> 
> 2017 note: I've written over 700 fics in over a decade spent writing fanfiction. If I had to make a list of my top-10 saddest stories, this not only would be on it but likely would top the list. I cried when I wrote it, and I cry every time I reread it. Coming back to it 4 yrs later to edit, I cried again. There were only minor edits, bc I wanted to leave my boys as-is, despite the anguish that the ending evokes… I recall some of my fans and friends crying over it, too; I think one was even remotely angry with me for keeping this canon-compliant? Ah, well. This is a [Maydayverse](https://archiveofourown.org/tags/Maydayverse/works) fic, after all, and it's canon that Colin died… Ahh, Nigel. Ah, Dennis. I love them a lot, and an older Dennis has appeared in some of my other stories (Maydayverse, of course), and he'll continue to appear in my stories bc I need the remaining Creevey brother to be happy, even in the least bit. As for Nigel…well, not even a month after writing "Different" did I write "I'm Only Paying My Respects," so don't worry. Nigel doesn't hole up with Colin's photos and shun the world. :') Good Godric, tho. I'm still incredibly glad I wrote this…for too many reasons to list here, so I'm good now. =w=


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